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| Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, pictured in 2015, was fired after allegations emerged that he sexually harassed women over a period of several decades |
Movie mogul
Harvey Weinstein was fired from his film studio The Weinstein Company following
reports he sexually harassed women for decades, as Hollywood stood accused
Monday of protecting one of its own despite a pattern of misconduct.
The firing
came three days after a bombshell New York Times report alleged that Weinstein,
the producer behind such hits as "The King's Speech" and "The
Artist," preyed on young women hoping to break into the film industry.
Weinstein's
accusers -- who reportedly include celebrities such as Rose McGowan and Ashley
Judd -- say the 65-year-old tycoon had promised to help advance their careers
in exchange for sexual favors, pressuring them to massage him and watch him
naked.
"In
light of new information about misconduct by Harvey Weinstein that has emerged
in the past few days, the directors of The Weinstein Company... have
determined, and have informed Harvey Weinstein, that his employment with The
Weinstein Company is terminated, effective immediately," the company's
board said in a statement late Sunday.
Who knew?
Many in the
entertainment industry have expressed their support for the alleged victims.
"The
women who chose to speak about their experience of harassment by Harvey
Weinstein deserve our awe," actress Lena Dunham said.
Oscar-winning
actress Meryl Streep, speaking to the Huffington Post, insisted "not
everybody knew" about the pattern of misconduct.
"I
don't believe that all the investigative reporters... would have neglected for
decades to write about it," she said, adding Weinstein's abuse of power
was "inexcusable."
But a
growing number of voices have called out what they suspect was a concerted
effort in Hollywood to protect the movie mogul.
"We
read the reports about his temper and volatility, but we had also heard stories
that he was, to put it bluntly, gross: the kind of guy who promised to make
someone a star in exchange for sex, and leveraged his power in the industry to
make sure no one talked about it," wrote BuzzFeed journalist Anne Helen
Petersen.
The New
York Times wrote that of the more than 40 entertainment industry players it
contacted for comment after breaking the story last week, almost all refused to
speak on the record.
Sharon
Waxman, creator of showbiz website "The Wrap," meanwhile accused the
New York Times of initially covering up the scandal.
In an
editorial, she said the newspaper sent her to investigate allegations of sexual
misconduct by Weinstein in 2004 -- a story she said did not run following
"intense pressure from Weinstein."
The Times
disputed her account in a statement to AFP.
"The Times
newsroom has a long history of exposing corruption and abuse by powerful people
and institutions. Our newsroom was the first to publish a meticulously reported
investigation of Mr. Weinstein revealing numerous settlements for sexual
harassment," it said.
"Our
former colleague Sharon Waxman wrote about a story that was published in The
Times in 2004. No one currently at The Times has knowledge of editorial
decisions made on that story. But in general the only reason a story or
specific information would be held is if it did not meet our standards for
publication."
Hollywood
powerhouse fades
Five of The
Weinstein Company's nine all-male board members have resigned over the scandal.
It was not
immediately clear what would happen to Weinstein's share in the firm.
In a
statement, Weinstein -- a staunch Democratic campaign fundraiser -- said he
respected all women and was hoping for a second chance while acknowledging he
had "work to do to earn it."
Republicans
have pounced on the scandal, while many Democratic lawmakers have since vowed
to give their contributions from Weinstein to charity.
President
Donald Trump -- who himself faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct
before winning the White House -- declared himself "not at all
surprised" by the revelations about Weinstein, who he said he had known a
"very long time."
Weinstein's
lawyer Charles Harder said the Times' report "relies on mostly hearsay
accounts and a faulty report, apparently stolen from an employee personnel
file, which has been debunked by nine different eyewitnesses."
The lawyer
is preparing a lawsuit against the newspaper, and has vowed to donate any
proceeds to women's organizations.
A
father-of-two married to British fashion designer Georgina Chapman, Weinstein
is considered a powerhouse in Hollywood and many of his movies have picked up
Oscars, including "Good Will Hunting" and "The Artist."
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 |
Meryl
Streep - here with Harvey Weinstein in January - she said she was
"appalled"
by news of the "disgraceful" allegations of
sexual harassment by the powerful
Hollywood producer (AFP Photo/KEVIN WINTER)
|
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